Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-08
PARNELL INTERVIEWED.
The Irish Leader Talks Freely Upo
Leading Issues of the Day.

Leading Issues of the Day
Record Union's Special CaJlegram- copyrighted
by the Nele York Tribune.I
NEW York, April Sth--A M.-The Tib-
unes correspondent telegraphs from Lon
don the following interview with the Irish
leader, Parnell:
Gill" How do you like the look of the
situation ?"
Parnell-" l like the situation. The ar
bitrary action of the Government in closing
the debate when my amendment to the
first reading of the coercion bill had only
been under discussion for one evening has
produced strong feeling of antagonism to
the measure throughout Great Britain.
Recollect, this was not a case OF English
men stopping the mouths Of Irishrnen. 1t
was 800 Tories and renegade Liberals form
ally applying the closure to a minority of250
strong, consisting not merely of the Irish
party, but of the great Liberal party of
England, now holding the constitutional
position of the Queens opposition, and at
their head the greatest English statesmen
of the country and the oldest and most in
dustrious parliamentarian in the House of
Commons. This unheard of proceeding
has irritated the Liberals in the country
exceed pgly, and, in my judgment, has ir-
retrievably damaged the bill, which will
certainly be carried by diminished ma
iority at its second reading, but in no case
can it survive the committee stage in its
present form. In fact, have not per-
mitted myself to take 50 cheerful view of
the general political situation at any time
since the elections as during the last few
DAYS.
"The manifestations of honest popular
indignation now taking place throughout
England are quite unprecedented, and are
most inspiring. Please say that a tremen-
dous effect has been produced by the spon-
taneous demonstration which the Ameri-
can people have been good enough to make
in cur behalf.
What do you think will happen in Ire
land if the coercion bill passes, although in
a modified form p
"Well, / hope its evil designs will be
foiled Hitherto the Coercion Act has al
ways blooded up landlords to evic' and
evictions unfortunately have always
brought crime in their train. The reason
last winter was so quiet was because the
landlords gave concessions. The moment
my bill was thrown out, the Cork land
lords held meeting, and Penrose
Fitzgerald, who moved the rejection
of my bill, urged them to re-
duce their rents so as to prove
my bill was not needed. The cue of the
Tories then was to govern Ireland, as they
Wanted they could do, at the general cleo
tions. without coercion and without home
rule In order TO falsify Gladstone's pro-
phesy the Government supplemented the
voluntary action of the Cork landlords by
bringing pressure to bear on refractory rack
renters through the agency of County
Court Judge Surran. General Butler and
Captain Plunkett. When you add to these
exertions the action of Dillon and O'Brien
in working the plan of campaign, the
influence of which extended to estates far
beyond the radius of those on which it
was adopted you will see what powerful
machinery there was in opposition to
bring down rents, to check evictions and
consequently to prevent crime. Now,
however, the landlords and the Govern
ment are on another tack altogether
They have grown desperate, and are fight
ing for their existence. The Government
is preparing wildly to coerce. and the land
lords TO evict. Under ordinary circum-
stances such combination would in
eyitabiy produce an outbreak of crime and
outrages, but | have every confidence that
in this case the Irish people will resist the
attempt of the Government and landlords
to goad them into violence"
Gill" Would not an outbreak Of crime
have an unfortunate effect upon English
opinion?"
Parnell-' Yes, it would be most unfor-
tunate. Crime would shock and revolt
English opinion and postpone home rule
for some time-perhaps too long-perhaps
till Gladstone's political life were over.
This is the calculation of these miserable
politicians who had formed this villainous
plot against the liberties and happiness of
the nation, and for the sake of keeping
themselves in Office for few years"